TxK: A beginner’s guide to Vita’s trippy new shooter

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TxK is an arcade-style shooting game. The basic idea is simple: shoot all the enemies that arrive on each playing surface. When the surface is clear or all enemies arrive at the top, the surface explodes and you transition to the next level.

Use the left analog stick or the d-pad to move the player entity left and right (or clockwise and anticlockwise on connected surfaces). Hold down the x button to shoot. Tap the screen to smart bomb. You get one smart bomb per level. When enabled, press the R shoulder button to jump. Collect Powerups to gain score bonuses and capability upgrades.

I’d recommend starting at level 1 while learning the basics. Starting at this level enables labels on many game elements for the first few levels.

Tap the screen! Use your Smart Bomb before they drag you away to who knows what foul fate!

Collect the special 1UP powerup to gain an extra life.

Keep collecting powerups to gain the AI Droid, an indestructible ally who fights alongside you until the end of the current level.

Some powerups yield a Warp Triangle. Collect 4 of these to go into a Bonus Round.

Between levels, tilt the Vita gently and try to keep the soul-spark in the middle of the warp tunnel.

Divide the defensive work between you and your AI Droid.

Those are the basics! As you progress through the game’s 100 levels you will meet many different enemies with many different behaviours. I hope you enjoy getting to know them and blasting them into a million glowing particles!

What a game! Absolutely fantastic and as addictive as Tempest was back in the day. Thanks to Mr. Minter and his team for the amazing work and a big Thanks Shahid from Sony for bringing this game over to the vita. I love this!

As an ex addict on the arcade Tempest machine ~ TxK on the PSVita is graphically, sonically and for smoothness of play, the best version of Tempest so far! All I can say about TxK is: Congratulation Llamasoft and Jeff Minter, bloody genius!!

Just got round to downloading this game and I certainly wasn’t disappointed…Bring more vector games back please and if Mr Minter can produce such a polished vector Tempest tribute then let him loose on a Star Wars coin op reboot for the Vita.